Edited & Revised
Author's Note: Okay, I'm very sorry for not updating in such a long while, but I was at the Philippines for a few days, and I had no internet access. It was fun over there, but now I'll get back to work. This was a fun chapter to write because the game had finally started, and the black heart event was fun to write because that was one of my favorite events (actually, all of Skye's heart events are my favorite)! Well, I love compliments and constructive criticism, and I find predictions very amusing, so go ahead and post that too if you want. So, R&R and enjoy chapter three!
Chapter Three
The Key of the Villa
Skye was hidden from view using the shadows as a concealment for himself. He was one with the night, not looking back or even thinking twice about the danger he was about to face; Skye was all too eager to feel the adrenaline rush in his veins after a successful raid of the mansion to care.
The thief slithered snake-like around the trees, stopping only when he heard a noise. He was running up the marble staircase leading towards the entrance to the mansion. When he was finally in front of the mansion, he swung the wooden door wide open. Damn, I sent a notice yet they didn't even think to lock their door. Suckers. Skye thought to himself as he chuckled silently.
Skye crept into the house soundlessly and cautiously, moving forward into the house. The thief spotted something glittering on the grand piano that sat in the corner. He crept towards it and swiped the gleaming necklace off the mantle of the piano. The thief backed away from the piano, and continued to trek around the huge mansion.
The thief slowly made his way up the staircase to the right, and walked over to the room placed in the middle. He knew that this was where he would find it. Where he would find the item he came for.
He opened the door, and peered inside. A girl was sleeping in bed, probably having a nightmare for she was tossing and turning in bed. He saw jewelry placed carelessly on the floor, clearly visible to the thief. He picked up the pieces of jewelry and tossed them into his black sack. After that, he looked around the luxurious room, looking for the item. Then, he saw it.
It hung on a hook on the wall above the bed where the girl was sleeping. Skye walked over to the bed, and tried to reach it. His hand grasped it, and he tried to take it off its hook. But then, the item slipped through his hands, and it landed on the girl's head, who was sleeping underneath it. The young girl sprung up and rubbed her eyes. She glanced at the thief who was trying to reach for the item that was now in the young girl's hands.
"I-it's you, the Phantom Thief!" She cried. Skye ran towards the exit, hastily trying to escape.
He ran down the grand staircase to the left, and swung the wooden door open. Once he was outside, he ran as fast as he could. He was running so fast he couldn't see where he was going, so he collided with something hard, and he fell back. He looked up, and saw that what he bumped into was not something: it was someone.
"Skye? What's wrong with you?" Jill asked.
Jill's eyes were concealed behind big, oversized glasses, and her brunette hair was in two braids that swayed in the cold air. She wore huge blue overalls over her scrawny body, and held a huge crate of eggs that Skye had bumped into.
Skye was too caught up in his mind to answer the girl's question. "And why are you wearing a leopard print jacket? It looks like the one on the news that was stolen by that thief to me..." Jill stared at Skye, she finally realized what was happening. "Whoa. No. Way. You can't be that Phantom Thief everyone's been getting freaked out about, are you?" Jill looked shocked.
"Heh, angel, no need to worry. I haven't stolen anything of too much value, so it's all good." Skye replied, getting himself up to stand. Jill gaped at the large sack that hung on Skye's shoulder.
"I have a feeling that you've stolen a large amount of things though, 'cuz that sack of yours looks pretty heavy." Jill narrowed her eyes at the thief through her thick glasses.
"Ummm..." Skye was about to start running until the doors of the mansion busted open to reveal a small teenage girl with short cinnamon hair. "You! You tried stealing one of my most prized possessions! You...thief!" Tears started to stream down the frightened girl's face.
"Oh darling, please don't cry. I'd rather see that beautiful face of yours happy." Skye said calmly, putting on his award-winning smile.
"B-beautiful?" The girl looked as though she were about to faint, and Skye started tiptoeing out of sight. Jill just glared at him.
"You do realize that Claire won't be too happy to hear about this, do you?"
Skye stopped in his tracks. He turned to face the brunette. His eyes were wide in fear. He and Claire had just started dating and this dork was planning to ruin his relationship?
"You bitch." Skye whispered, just loud enough for Jill to hear. "Oh, I'm so sad, you just called me a bitch so now I'm going to cry my ass off because of you." Jill said sarcastically while rolling her eyes.
"Well, anyway, I just thought you'd want to know before anything bad happens." Jill stuck her tongue at the silver-haired thief. Skye glared at her. He had never hated a girl this much in his entire life.
He turned and started walking away casually. That little devil. He thought to himself as he headed home.
"Well good luck trying not to go behind bars, pretty boy, 'cuz from now on we're enemies!" He heard the brunette chuckle behind him.
Jill was so anxious to get back home to think about Skye's game that in the middle of the night, while all the others were asleep, she snuck out of Celia's room to head back to her farm. Although Jill would never admit it, she was actually really excited about Skye's game. She wanted to get it over with soon so that she can finally catch the thief.
The brunette was so tired from the day before, when Skye told her about the game, she slept through the loud beeping of her alarm clock, standing still on top of her bedside table. It was quiet and peaceful after a few beeps. Jill continued to sleep until she felt something hard push against her back.
"RISE AND SHINE!" Jill suddenly opened her eyes and sprung up from bed. She turned to see that Claire had been the one who had unwelcomely slapped her back while she had been sleeping. "Wha-Claire? What are you doing here? Don't you have to go back to Mineral Town?" Jill yawned, rubbing her eyes.
Claire shook her head, and grabbed Jill's arm, pulling her out of bed. "No, I'm staying here to help you with Skye's game, remember?" Claire replied.
"Yeah, I know that, but how about your farm? Don't you need to take care of it?" Jill asked, letting Claire pull her out of bed.
"Nope, I got your brother to take care of it temporarily. By the way, I love your house, it's really cozy." Claire looked around the house. Jill straightened herself up and exited her room, dragging Claire along with her.
"We'll eat breakfast and then you'll have to help me with my farmwork. It's already 6:05, so we have to eat fast." Jill instructed. Claire was surprised. "Dang, some schedule you've got there. Never knew you were a workaholic." Claire said as she got dragged into the kitchen by her best friend. Jill walked over to the small refrigerator in the corner of the kitchen and opened the small door. She pulled out two celery sticks and handed one to Claire.
"Uh...I don't think that this will be enough for me..." Claire said, staring at the small vegetable in her hand, she really wanted to eat something that would satisfy her appetite, which was quite large.
"Oh, sorry."
Jill walked back to the fridge and tossed a small carrot to Claire. Claire caught it with her other hand and stared at the vegetables in both palms.
"Thanks..." she said, craving for a bigger meal. They both started eating their "breakfast". No wonder she so much skinnier than me. All she eats in the morning is a celery stick. Claire thought to herself, her stomach started to growl.
"Well, let's get to work." Jill said when she finished her celery. She exited the kitchen and then exited the house through the front door with Claire following.
A warm wind blew over the valley of Forget-Me-Not. Flower petals danced in the air, the streetlights dimmed, and owls and bats started flying back into their nests: morning was starting. The time when most of the villagers were waking up for a long day.
"I'll take care of the turnips, the potatoes, and the strawberries, so can you tend to the cucumbers and cabbages?" Jill asked Claire. Claire nodded slowly.
"After we're done, let's feed the animals and sheer the sheep together!" Jill smiled, making it sound as though they were going to an amusement park.
"Yeah, sure!" Claire said in the same tone as Jill used. They walked over to the field and began to work. Jill began working in her field, watering her turnips, then moving on to her strawberries.
As soon as they were fully grown, Jill planned on giving it to the Goddess as a gift. After all, when the Harvest Goddess had been banished by the Harvest King, and taken back to the human world by Jill, they had been very close friends since then. Jill hummed to herself happily as she finished watering the crops.
The brunette turned her head to see Claire wincing at the sight of the cucumbers as she watered them. Jill gave a small chuckle. Claire had always been wary of cucumbers, which was why Jill gave her the task to water them. It was so amusing to watch her water the "menacing vegetable" as Claire "fondly" calls it.
After Claire finished watering the cucumbers, the girls tended to the animals, feeding them, sheering the sheep, milking the cows, giving them water, petting them, picking up the eggs and throwing hay at each other for fun. They had a blast.
The two girls exited the barn and decided to walk around the valley for a bit. Claire hadn't come to visit in a long time, so it seemed as though there were a lot of changes in the valley since her last visit.
The farmers' last stop was at the mansion, which was occupied by an elderly woman named Romana and her young teenage granddaughter, Lumina. They had an old butler named Sebastian who lived with them.
The mansion was beautiful. In front of the mansion was a majestic fountain surrounded by a marble path connected to the grand staircase leading from the center of the valley to the mansion. There were beautiful flowers and trees surrounding the pathway and the mansion, and hidden underneath the ivy, there was a small hut which was owned by the Witch Princess. The mansion was truly amazing, but the serenity didn't last long.
As the girls made their way towards the door, Lumina suddenly burst out of the house bumping into Claire.
"Damn, Lumina, what's wrong?" Claire yelped when Lumina crashed into her. Lumina's coconut brown eyes were wet, and her short, cinnamon hair was messily tied into a bun.
"I'm so scared! What if he comes tonight again? He might steal everything!" The farmers instantly knew who the young teenager was talking about. The farmers knew that this was the message that Skye was sending. They didn't even have to speak to know what was on each other's mind.
"Lumina, you should get some sleep tonight. Claire and I will guard over your mansion and make sure that thief doesn't come anywhere near your house." Jill said, reassuring Lumina.
"Oh, but this is my problem, I wouldn't want to place a burden on you." Lumina replied, trying to hold back the tears that were bound to fall.
"No, seriously Lumina, we can do it. We have nothing else to do anyway, so get some shut eye." Claire said.
"A-are you sure? The letter sounded really serious and I wouldn't want you two to get hurt because of this." Lumina was really close to tears now.
"Yes, we're sure, just have a good sleep tonight and relax. We'll make sure that thief doesn't come within a few feet of your house." Jill said.
"Okay, thanks a lot you two. I sometimes wish I had older sisters like you." Lumina smiled.
Jill felt guilty when she said that because the main reason she agreed to do this was so she could find whatever Skye was making her find.
"Well, when are we supposed to come?" Claire asked, disrupting Jill's thoughts.
"It says that the Phantom Thief plans to come around ten to four, so come around ten." Lumina told the girls, scanning the letter she held.
"Alright, we'll be here, you can count on it." Jill replied, waving at Lumina while dragging Claire down the steps along with her.
"Thanks you guys!"
Jill was pulling Claire towards the well next to the bar. Her hand was tightened onto Claire's arm, and it felt as though it were an animal biting her.
"J-Jill! D-do you mind letting g-go?" Claire choked out, obviously freaked out about Jill's strange behavior.
"Claire! This is it! The start of the game!" Jill exclaimed, finally letting go of Claire's arm, which now swung limply at her side.
"Y-yeah, obviously." Claire rubbed her limp arm with her good one. "So, what?"
"So what? It's time! You have to help me get ready for Skye's game! Ummm...hide something, and make me find it or something! Hide it in this well or in a tree or...I don't know! Just make it challenging!" Jill hastily replied, jumping up and down in her spot.
"Wow, you're acting awfully perky today..."
"Because it's time! Let the games begin!"
"Jill, I think this game is getting to you. I mean, you're acting like a maniac..."
"Just hurry up and hide a random thing, please."
"...Alright." Claire headed towards Jill's house to find something that she could hide while Jill waited impatiently for Claire.
It was a peaceful night in Forget-Me-Not, flowers were blooming everywhere in the valley, and small nocturnal creatures that had woken up that night were scurrying freely around the valley. The grass was green with small dots of dew clinging on each blade of grass. Large bodies of water were gleaming fully, and fishes could be seen through the clear transparent waters. The sky was dark blue with bright stars that can be seen overhead, sometimes making shapes and patterns for the villagers to spot. The moon was high in the sky, and was in the shape of a crescent. It's nights like these that make me really want to see Jill.
I waited on top of the roof of the mansion while chewing on a blade of grass. It was late at night, and I was hoping that the girls weren't too stupid to not find out where I was striking next. I guess I only picked this as the first obstacle course because of that dream I had.
That dream about the past. When Jill found out about my true identity: The Phantom Thief Skye.
I wonder what could've made me dream about that, it had been a year since that incident. Hell, Jill looked so much different back then. I sat patiently, looking up at the dark sky from time to time. I wonder what time it is.
The air starts to get colder, but I've already grown used to it, so I ignore it as it passes over me.
"Maybe I came too early? Too late? When were those girls coming? Did they get the message I was trying to se-"
"Skye! We're here! Now what do you want?" Jill yelled loudly.
"Do you mind not being so loud, I'll get caught if you keep this up!" I yelled back at the loud brunette.
"Then get your ass down here before I start screaming!" Jill yelled back in reply.
I took the blade of grass out of my mouth and slid down the roof. I landed on the marble path, and right in front of the two girls.
"Well, so what am I supposed to do while you two play this game?" Claire asked me irritably.
"You wait here with me, I have to make sure you aren't helping Jill." I replied. "And, Jill, I'll have to explain a few more rules, so don't interrupt, got it?" Jill nodded and I began to explain the rules.
"Well, you may receive no help from Claire, or anyone else in the Villa-"
"Wait, so this item I'm supposed to be looking for is inside?"
"No interruptions! You can't wake anyone up, and you have to get out without getting caught, if you are to be caught, I'll help you out of the situation, but you lose the game. Got it?" I glanced at both girls, waiting for them to ask.
"Yeah, what is this item I'm looking for anyway?" Jill asked.
"First, you need to find a key. It'll be hidden on a hook behind a painting, and I want you to get it. Once you have it, go to the piano and unlock it, and you'll find a treasure. That's what you're looking for." Skye said.
Jill and Claire exchanged glances. "Alright, then I'm ready." Jill said. I smiled and walked over to the door of the mansion.
"Then go on ahead."
Jill walked through the door of the mansion, and crept inside. She heard the door close behind her, and she turned her head to see the grand piano residing in a corner of the mansion. She stared at it with curiosity. I wonder what kind of treasure he hid in there. A treasure chest? Gee, he better share the loot with me then. Jill thought to herself. She looked around the house and saw that there were hundreds of paintings hanging on the walls of the expanse mansion.
"Damn, but which painting is the key behind? It'll take me all night to find it." Jill whispered to herself. She started with the painting that hung on the wall farthest from her. "This'll take some time to do..."
He's looking away, and I just stare at him. His long silver hair gleams beneath the moon's touch, and his skin is pale and flawless-
No, wait. I shouldn't be thinking like this. He's not my boyfriend. He's just a criminal I should have never met. He's like a demon; so beautiful, that it entices you until he rips you to shreds. I wonder what he's thinking about. Probably not me, he doesn't even notice that I'm here staring at him, thinking about him, and-
"Claire? Are you still there?" Skye asks, not even looking back at me. I guess it's so quiet that it's like I'm not even here.
"Y-yeah." I managed to say. He had surprised me so suddenly while I was thinking. He just nodded simply, and we sat there quietly.
It felt like hours that we had been sitting quietly until I started to speak.
"So, you l-love Jill now...huh?"
Skye nodded.
"I've always loved her."
"But, then why did you start dating me first? To get closer to her?" I waited for his answer.
"No, I didn't realize how I felt at the time." Skye answered. He finally looked back at me.
"What made you realize?" I asked in a nonchalant tone.
"Because our dates were always moments like these. Just sitting quietly, not saying a word: it was like we hardly knew each other, and bit by bit I started realizing you weren't the one. But the worst part of all," Skye glared at me, "was that day when you backstabbed me." I glared back at him, my eyes piercing into his.
"Whatever."
We both looked away from each other. We waited patiently; waiting for Jill to come back with the treasure. She'd better come back soon. I can't stand this silence.
Jill checked behind every painting on the lower level of the mansion. She went into the kitchen and even risked going into Romana's room to check the paintings in there. Nothing. Jill felt like she had already failed. Where else would it be?
"Stupid Skye. It's not like anyone else told him to do something like this before. He probably lied or something so that I can lose. What a waste of precious time." Jill whispered to herself.
She was about to turn towards the door and exit until she caught sight of the set of staircases leading to the upper level. She then realized that she hadn't checked all the rooms; she had to go into Lumina's room. Jill was more hesitant to go in there because Lumina's room was a little smaller than her grandmother's room, and had a lot of things lying around that Jill might step on and cause noise. The farmer was in trouble, she knew it.
Well, I didn't agree to do this game to give up, I'll just have to do it.
Jill made her way up the stairs cautiously. She made sure her path was clear before taking a step and she made sure that her footsteps were silent. When she had made it in front of the teen's bedroom door, Jill sighed in relief that she hadn't gotten caught yet. Before entering, she pressed her ear against the door to hear if there was any rustling or moving in the room; she had to make sure Lumina was not awake.
She pushed the door open, and the first thing she saw was the painting hanging over Lumina's head. Lumina was asleep in her bed, and Jill knew that this would be a risky task getting the painting and not waking her up.
The painting was shaped like a diamond, and had a scenery of a waterfall painted on it. It was beautifully illustrated, and it looked as though the waterfall in the painting was real. It had to be behind it: Jill knew it was.
Jill crept over to the side of the bed. She stood on her toes to reach the painting. When she got a hold of it, she raised it from its hook and looked behind it. And then, she had finally found it, the key Skye had instructed her to find. She took it off its hook, and placed the painting back where she had found it. She tiptoed out of the room, and held the key tightly in her sweaty hand.
When she made it down, she lightly ran over to the piano, and found a keyhole on the right side of the piano. She used the key to unlock it, and a drawer opened revealing...
"...Another key?" Jill was so surprised she didn't bother to whisper, but thankfully no one in the household heard. She shrugged and picked up the key from its place. She put the other key on top of the piano, and left the mansion quietly.
She was finished. Round one of Skye's game: Complete.
Skye: It took Jill a little shorter than I had expected to find the treasure. Yes, folks, it was indeed another key. And of course, this key would have to unlock something, but what, you may ask? And why exactly, does Jill look like such a dork when she looks nothing like the way jujuq had first described her in the first part of this chapter? And what had Claire done that had backstabbed me? Well, that information is classified, and I have no intention of revealing that to you, but maybe the next chapter will answer some of your questions? Frankly, I have no idea, I'm not the author, I'm unfortunately, the little shrimp's slave until the end of this lame story, but read the next chapter anyway, and I'll meet you there ladies. *winks*
jujuq: Errgh, Skye, can I write my author's note now? You kind of interrupted me.
Skye: Well, what's more important, your need for attention or mine?
jujuq: ...I knew I should've brought Claire instead of you here. Well, anyway, since Skye practically stole everything that I was about to say, I guess that concludes my author's note, but one more thing: Review and criticize! Thanks for reading my long chapter!
Edited & Revised
